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Nanay Said Go to Bed

I was the only one left
in the sala that night
you told me the noises
on the roof were
Minang’s hooves –
on nights like this one
she was searching
for children whose stomachs
she could, through
her tongue
suck whole.

I came home after a long
walk in the dark, from next door
where I was watching movie
icons running away
from their own flying neighbors.

On the wall,
Jesus’ poster eyes
followed me to my
room, I didn’t have to look
this time, as I slowly
walked to where
all of us slept.
The only lights
came from the sodium lamps
outside, they came
through the cracks in
between the wooden panels
of your walls.